3 min readNew DelhiMar 3, 2018 02:12 PM IST
First published on: Mar 3, 2018 at 02:12 PM IST
PM Narendra Modi welcomes Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on his first State visit to India at the Hyderabad House ahead of the bilateral talks on Saturday. (MEA Twitter)
India and Vietnam on Saturday inked three Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs), including on cooperation between the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, India (GCNEP) and the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM), after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang. The purpose of the MoU is to strengthen the technical cooperation in the field of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. Besides this, the two countries signed an MoU on economic and trade cooperation aimed at establishing a framework for enhancing economic and trade promotion.
A work plan for the years 2018-2022 between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam was also signed between the two nations. The purpose of this work plan is to promote cooperation in the transfer of technology and exchange of visits of technical experts in the fields of agriculture and allied.
Issuing a joint statement after the signing of MoUs along with Vietnamese President Quang, Prime Minister Modi said, “We have decided that we will enhance cooperation in defence production and explore opportunities in transfer of technology. We will jointly work for an open, independent and prosperous Indo Pacific area where sovereignty and international law is respected.”
“Vietnam has an important place in India’s framework of Act East policy and India’s relations with ASEAN,” ANI quoted the PM as saying.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting Vietnamese President. Their discussions focused on steps to further strengthen country’s comprehensive strategic partnership by expanding cooperation across all sectors, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
President Quang will also attend a Vietnam-India Business Forum and the opening ceremony of the Vietnam Days in India 2018. He was also given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Vietnam is an important partner in Southeast Asia under New Delhi’s Act East Policy and is currently the country coordinator for India with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) regional bloc, a role that will be handed over to Thailand later this year.
India-Vietnam trade stood at $6.24 billion in fiscal 2016-17 and the two sides have agreed to raise this to $15 billion by 2020.
(With inputs from agencies)
PM Narendra Modi welcomes Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on his first State visit to India at the Hyderabad House ahead of the bilateral talks on Saturday. (MEA Twitter)
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